Coconut Oil Immuno-Melts

It's back to school time! This often means a change in schedule, sleeping and eating habits and more exposure to illness.  Coconut oil Immuno-Melts are the perfect solution to keeping your immune system strong during a time of increased demand.  Coconut oil Immuno-Melts  are easy to make, taste like lemon icing and are good for the entire family!

1 cup coconut oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1-2 tablespoon lemon zest or 5-10 drops of lemon oil

2-3 Tablespoons raw honey

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or garlic

Mix all ingredients in a small blender until well emulsified.  Under mixing may result in inconsistent taste. Pour mixed oil into silicon molds or mini muffin tins lined with parchment.  Place the filled molds in the fridge or freezer.  Once solidified, remove immuno-melts from their molds and store in an air tight   container in the fridge.  Enjoy as desired!

If you are having trouble getting the honey to mix evenly with the other ingredients, check out my troubleshooting tips from my Complete Guide to Coconut Oil Chocolates.

Cooling the coconut oil until it is semi-solid, allows for easy honey emulsification.

Blend all ingredients well with a blender.

Pour into molds.

Place in fridge or freezer to solidify. 

Why IMMUNO-MELTS work....

Lemons are high in Vitamin C, which boosts our immune response. Vitamin C is also a strong antioxidant, which means it helps protect against damage at the cellular level.   Lemons are also antiseptic in nature providing additional support against bacterial infection.  

What's more lemons also improve digestion, which encourages better absorption of other vitamins and minerals essential to a strong immune response.  This fresh smelling citrus fruit also helps eliminate the occurrence of kidney and gallstones.  The citrate in lemons prevents calcium from binding to other constituents that lead to the formation of crystals.  When all digestive organs are functioning well, better detoxification happens, which also decreases your risk of infection. 

Ginger, like lemons is a natural antibiotic and a strong antioxidant.  Ginger also provides anti-inflammatory  benefits and shows much promise to those battling various arthritides.  Ginger improves circulation and promotes better respiration which is beneficial to those battling a sinus or upper respiratory infection. Ginger is best known for preventing or lessening the symptoms of nausea but it has also displayed many anti-cancer properties especially for leukemic, skin, kidney, lung, and pancreatic cancers.

Honey and coconut oil not only make these Immuno-melts taste delicious but they too have many anti-fungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties.  And if you are worried about all the fat calories, worry no more.  Coconut oil is metabolized in the liver which prevents fat storage and increases metabolism.  So you may even loose a few pounds while boosting your immune system.     

If you use garlic in addition to ginger or on it's own it will give these Immuno-melts super-powers.  Yes, garlic is by far one of nature's best disease preventers.  I have added up to 1 finely minced, large clove of garlic per recipe without any noses turning up.  If you are not sure how much garlic you will like, start out with 1/4 teaspoon and go up from there. 

 

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Quinoa & Tea Breakfast Bowl

For most people breakfast is pretty routine.  While there is an ease to routine, changing things up can give you more variety with flavor and diversity of nutrients. Since breakfast can be pretty predictable at times at our home, I thought I would branch out.
This Quinoa & Tea Breakfast Bowl came to me while I was steeping my nightly tea.  For those who have not cooked with Quinoa,(pronounced KEEN-WHA) it is much like couscous or rice. You use a 2:1 ratio of water to grain for cooking.  Unlike rice, quinoa cooks much quicker (about 15minutes). Quinoa can have a hint of soapy, bitter, saponin remains from the outer shell when it is removed in processing.  Saponins do not affect the nutrient value of the grain, but will affect the taste.  To be sure your quinoa will have nothing but a pure, mild, nutty flavor, give the quinoa a rinse before cooking. The grains are too small for a colander, so rinse the quinoa with water in a small cooking pot. Use the lid to carefully drain off as much water as you can. Only rinse the amount you are cooking.  Store the rest in a cool, dry location like a pantry or freezer.   
What makes this breakfast bowl so great is it allows for lots of versatility, so you can get playful with different teas, spices and fruit. This works especially well with kids. Giving them choices, allows them to take part in their healthy eating habits. 

Quinoa is an excellent breakfast grain.  It contains 6grams of protein per 1/4c serving, which will help you stay satisfied through lunch and will prevent an insulin spike from the naturally occurring complex carbohydrates. Quinoa also contains a variety of bone building minerals like magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc, however it’s phytic acid content can inhibit the absorption of these important minerals.  Soaking and then cooking the quinoa, reduces it’s phytic acid content which improves mineral absorption. This grain from the Andes, is also rich in protective antioxidants.  Pair this with the abundant antioxidants in the tea and you have yourself one lean, mean disease fighting breakfast!

The recipe can be made in larger batches and kept in the fridge to be used throughout the week.  Talk about a stress-free start the school year!

Ingredients:

2 bags of Chai Tea (or tea of your choice)

1 cup quinoa

2 cup water

1/3 cup chopped dates

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Coconut milk and honey to taste

Place quinoa, water and tea bags in a pot and set to medium until the water starts to boil.  Reduce to low and place a lid on the pot until all the water is absorbed. About 10 minutes.  Remove tea bags by squeezing out any extra liquid.  Fluff quinoa and spoon it into breakfast bowls.  Top the tea-cooked grain with dried fruit and pumpkin seeds.  Drizzle with coconut milk and a little honey.   Enjoy!

Add quinoa to pot and rinse.

Add tea bag(s) and water.

Allow it to cook and spoon into bowls.

I added dried cranberries, dates and pepitas ( pumpkin seed).

Drizzle with coconut milk and honey.

BREAKFAST ANYONE?

A few other flavor combos you may want to try are:

Green Tea, honey & Raspberries

Cocoa, almonds and bananas

Blueberries, Chamomile & Walnuts

What flavor combo will you come up with?

Honey Sesame Seed Candy

 
As a kid, I loved these Sesame Seed candies that were sold in most Canadian corner stores. They were 35 cents a pack. Although I am pretty sure I am too young to be telling a back in the day tale, these little treats were so delightful. They were both sweet and nutty and they had a little crunch to them.  Today you may be able to find them in the occasional health food store. Health food?  Yes, these little treats are loaded with an abundant source of nourishing minerals and antioxidants. 

Did you know...

Sesame seeds contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin. Both of these substances belong to a group of special beneficial fibers called lignans, that have been shown to have cholesterol lowering effects in humans and can prevent high blood pressure. Sesamin has also been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage. Sesame seeds are an excellent source of copper, which is known for reducing the pain and swelling in rheumatoid arthritis. Copper also provides structure, strength and elasticity in blood vessels, bones and joints. These tiny seeds are also a good source of magnesium which has been found to prevent the spasm in both airways and blood vessels which make magnesium an important mineral for helping ease the symptoms of asthma, migraines and may be helpful at preventing heart attack.

I had some sesame seeds in my pantry which made me think about these honey sweetened treats.  So I thought I would whip up a batch.  I must admit, the  first batch of boiling honey ended up down the sink.  I walked away for just a minute and it burned!  What a waste of perfectly sweet honey.  I hope the bees will forgive me.  Round 2 yielded a much better batch.  Here is what you will need: 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sesame seed

1/2 cup honey

Dash sea salt or more to taste

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Line a baking dish with parchment paper or use a silicon baking dish.  Heat honey in a sauce pan until it boils. DO NOT WALK AWAY.  Stir to prevent the bottom from burning and preventing it from over boiling.  Let the honey boil until the temperature reaches 300 degrees (hard crack temperature) on your candy thermometer. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, simply place a drop of the honey in ice cold water. If it hardens it has reached a hot enough temperature needed to make this candy. The longer you boil it, the harder the candy will get.  But don't over boil or it will burn. Remove the honey from the heat and add the sesame seeds, salt and cinnamon.  Mix until combined. Pour the mixture onto parchment or in silicon pans.  Press down tight with a spatula or the back of a greased spoon.  Cool to room temperature and hardened. Turn the block of hardened candy onto a cutting board and cut  into squares.  Store in an airtight container. ENJOY!  

Pour honey into a sauce pan.

Allow honey to boil long enough to reach 300 degrees. Stir constantly.

No thermometer- No problem.  Test for hard crack with cold water.

Add mixture of sesame seeds, salt and cinnamon.

Stir until evenly combined.

Press mixture in pan. 8x8 works

I doubled my recipe to make a large batch.

Cut into even bars or squares.

Eat and enjoy a guilt-free treat!

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

The most wonderful thing about this  Moroccan Chicken is not the fact that it is easy to make; nor is it the wonderful smells that will drift from your kitchen; nor is it the tender, flavorful chicken that will surprise you with hints of complimentary flavors that will make your mouth water; instead it is the plentiful health benefits you will get from eating this Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken.

Moroccan food is known for it's abundant use of spices. Many of these flavorful additions are also health promoting.  Cumin adds a earthy, peppery flavor to your food and is an excellent source of iron. Iron plays an important role in the transport of oxygen in our blood but is also needed for energy production and metabolism. Cumin has been shown to be protective against stomach and liver cancer and will stimulate pancreatic enzymes needed for digestion. Cinnamon has a warm sweet taste with a pleasant fragrance.  It has many antimicrobial properties and will inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi which is why it is helpful to eat during times of infection. Cinnamon is probably best known for it’s ability to help control blood sugar levels but can also fight inflammation and prevents unwanted clumping of blood platelets.  Ginger is aromatic and warm.  It has the ability to relieve gastrointestinal distress and will reduce nausea, motion sickness and dizziness.  Ginger has also been found to be very effective at relieving the pain associated with arthritis. Turmeric is an orange spice with a mild  flavor.  It contains the antioxidant curcumin, which fights inflammation. It’s anti-inflammatory benefits help many conditions including irritable bowel, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, cystic fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis.  

All these health promoting spices in one, easy to make meal.

 
 
 Ingredients:

2– 21/2 lbs of chicken thighs, breasts or legs

1 large sweet onion, diced

2-3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 lb carrots, diced

1 large sweet bell pepper, chopped

1 cup dried apricots, sliced

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 can ounce of diced tomatoes

1 15 ounce can of chickpeas

1 Tablespoon grated ginger

1/2 tsp dried ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1/8-1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper

1 tsp sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons honey

If desired, de-skin your chicken and place it in the bottom of your crock pot.  Saute diced onions in coconut oil  until they are tender and slightly golden brown. Add them to the pot with carrots, bell pepper, apricots and garlic.  Add in all your spices including fresh grated ginger and honey. Add the chick peas, diced tomatoes and vegetable stock.  Cook on high heat for 3-4* hours and leave on warm until ready to serve.  Serve with a lemon or orange wedge and a sprinkle of cilantro over a bed of rice. 

* Cooking times may vary depending on your crock pot. 

Diced bell peppers and carrots.

Sauteing diced onions in coconut oil.

Sliced dried apricots.

Add the onions to the pot.

Cumin

Cinnamon

Add coriander

Fresh grated ginger as well as dried.

Turmeric

Raw wildflower honey.

Chickpeas and diced tomatoes.

Add the vegetable stock.

Cover and let the slow cooking begin.

3 hours later